10 Days Until the VT Super 8

Here we are, in the middle of September, and only 10 days away from my first bike packing race/adventure, the VT Super 8. Over the past weekend I completed what will likely be the last "long" hard ride (75 relatively flat miles at heart rate Z4) and am finalizing my gear in preparation for next week. While the amount of training I have done is likely only a drop in the bucket compared to what folks more experience in the realm of endurance events do, I am leagues ahead of where I started in January.

My first long trip was in April. It was 150 mile, 50% gravel 50% paved route from Boston, MA to Hartford, CT for which I averaged about 11 miles an hour. Several months later (August), I did basically the same single-day trip again, albeit longer (180 miles), and averaged 12.2 miles an hour. Again, for the experienced folk out there, this is something that isn't impressive, but for a chap like me, who spends most of his day behind a desk, being able to go faster and longer was something quite encouraging. Who knows, maybe next year I can do it at 13MPH?

Now with only a little over a week left to go, and a couple more "Turbo Trailer" sessions between now and the Grand Depart, I am thinking about my objectives for the upcoming adventure. Is my goal to go as fast and hard as I possibly can forgoing sleep (and sanity)? Alternatively, should I take it relatively easy and enjoy my first bike packing adventure experience and spend extra time out on the road? I am not certain of the answer just yet, but regardless of what I end up deciding, I am truly excited and thankful that I have the opportunity to take part in this event.

There is still some planning to do (and wishing I had the time to do a practice overnight trip in Vermont), but I have ridden more miles and spent more time on a bike than anytime in the past. Am I ready? We'll find out soon enough. However, one thing is certain, I'll show up on the 24th with a bike, my gear, and be super excited to meet everyone at the Grand Depart.